Sea Cadets rush to help in unlikely rescue

Stonehaven Sea Cadets shows they were ‘Ready, Aye Ready’ when an unlikely rescue took place last Wednesday at the Harbour.

A visiting boat on it’s way to the annual Portsoy Boat Festival came into some slight trouble when one of the members sustained a head injury.

The Stonehaven Sea Cadets who were out sailing with their rescue boat came to the aid of the member transporting him back to the harbour and to emergency services and the RNLI who were made aware of the incident.

James Brown Stonehaven Harbour Master told the Mearns Leader: “There was a tidal surge, of about a metre-and-a-half or so.

“Now what happened was, two fishing boats were on the way to Port Soy, both about 45 feet, when the surge came in again, it broke the rope, and somehow when one of the boats spun round one of the masts got caught in one of the mooring lines.

“It came out of its crutch and hit the guy on the head, but he’s fine now.

“Now the sea cadets’ sailing boats are in the water every night at this time of year, and they’re required to have a rescue boat with them by law now.

“Because the tide was so low in the harbour, the sea cadet rescue boat had to pick him up off the fishing boat and take him across to the beach.

“The sea cadets were brilliant during the whole incident.”

Stonehaven Councillor Wendy Agnew said: “I am sure that the Sea Cadets who were at sea at the time enjoyed the unusual experience

“At the request of the harbourmaster the sea cadets rescue boat collected the injured person from his boat in the outer harbour and transported him to the slipway where the paramedics attended to the injured person.

“The manner in which the cadets behaved was an example of the high level of training given to them and demonstrates that their instructors who man two rescue boats are highly qualified and can assist in any emergency at sea as was demonstrated on Wednesday evening, and at the same time be vigilant in the safety of their cadets. It brings to mind of the sea cadets motto ” Ready , Aye Ready” and they certainly were.”